Medical retrieval devices are often utilized for removing organic material (e.g., blood clots, tissue, and biological concretions such as urinary, biliary, and pancreatic stones) and inorganic material (e.g., components of a medical device or other foreign matter), which may obstruct or otherwise be present within a patient's body cavities. For example, concretions can develop in certain parts of the body, such as in the kidneys, pancreas, and gallbladder. Minimally invasive medical procedures are used to remove these concretions through natural orifices, or through an incision, such as during a percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PNCL) procedure. Further, lithotripsy and ureteroscopy, for example, are used to treat urinary calculi (e.g., kidney stones) in the ureter of a patient.
Further, known medical retrieval devices are complex in structure, requiring many components and labor-intensive manufacturing processes, and many do not provide controls for varying the size of the retrieval end of the device. The assembly of small parts often requires visual magnification and specialized training. The joining mechanisms often increase the profile of the medical retrieval devices beyond optimal design parameters, and are often the weakest structural points. These drawbacks result in medical retrieval devices that may be bulky, expensive, and prone to failure.
Thus, there remains a need for improved medical devices having reduced profiles, adjustable sizes, and fewer components for use in retrieving, moving, and gauging body matter.